Aeroplane.



F. J VEITCH.

AEROPLANE- APPUCATION FILED APR. 15, l9j2.

13 58279. Patented. Mar. 5,1918.

TED STAES FREDE IC J. vnrrcrr, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y,

AERorL iin.

To all whom may concern) i to o Be it kno t .I, REDE K J- enoma c z n o t e Un te S a s,- r s di g in he ityb Ne ork, bor ugh-of Ma h tan, cou y a d St t o e or h e n en d a re ta n ne a d usefu cre:

tlon. v V V This invention is an aeroplane, and the objects are to attain stability and to steer or direct the aerocraft without resorting to moving parts such as warping planes and pivoted rudders. r 7 Itis well known that moving parts, simiplane, ofwhich the following is a specificalar to pivoted planesvand pivoted steering: rudders, employed in prior machines are, so

to speak, sources of weakness owing tomore or less frailty of construction and to;the1r tendency to bend'and break when sub ected to wind pressure, particularly in case the craft is moving at high speed or is caught in a gale of win I V According to thi's'invention, one or more counter-balance weights are employed to secure stability of the craft and to control or steer said craft. It is preferred to position one weight below the bottom weight-carrying plane, and to mount or support said weight for movement in the direction of the length of said plane, suitable means being provided for shifting the weight and. for controlling the position of said weight, whereby it may be moved at will eitherjto the right or left of the central fore and aft line of the craft.

ed end to lower and opposite end to raise,

the degree of tiltwill increase with the movsired angle andremain balanced at saidah gle until any desired turn is made, The aerocraft will always turn 1n a horizontal direction toward the lower end of weightlifting planes. 7

At the rear of the weight-carrying planes is positioned a balancing plane or tail which, i

in contradistinction to prior pivoted and movabletails, is secured fixedlyin position so as to occupy at all times a certain predetermined rela ionto the weight-carrying pla es. I QQiiperatingWith th wei he arryf 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

The moving of 'said weight toward either end will cause weight,

o h r second count la e e g he atter being pos ione fo m m n q n f he upp gh -carrying pl ne, so t at aid se ond n med w ig t o s a t i i Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

, Apr1i et 0n a AP ri l5; 2- senemt assa: l

' 15; p ane a d th h ta plane' s the i the center of gravity of the width of aer o -l craft. Said weight is shiftable at will between theweight-carrying planes and the tail plane, and it is controlled in a manner to exert its =ponderosity'upon the craft so as'to depress or elevate the tail plane, whereby 'saidcraft may be caused to scend or de scend according to the position of the weight relative to the tail plane and weight-carry:

ing planes. The aeroplane will be con,-

structed with the centerlof gravity Well for,

want so that while in normal horizontal flight the. air craft will balance properly,

with theweight located'at about the center between the Weight lifting lanes ndthetail.

To increase the speed o air craft while in j flight, the tail wlll naturally lower, and by? moving themovable weight slightly forward the tail planewill res me its normal position; 'This weight acts as a'stabilizer be tween the front and rear planes as well for steering the air craft in vertical direc-' Q '85 r f c sl and m r thr u Space various speeds'with all plailespo'sitioned sof as to give a minimum resistance to theair;

tions. It can readily be S QE' Jth-at the air Said weight might also be usedlon a tailless 1 i aeroplane having a frontbalancin'g plane,

by utilizing weight between balancing plane and weight lifting planes. Other features otthe invention, and the advantages thereof, will appear in the course of the annexed detailed description taken in connection Withthe drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative, only,

and not as defining the limits of the invention.

craft embodying the present invention;

and aft thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aero- Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view illustrat-j ing one construction whereby the counterweight is supported for movement in a certain direction relative to certain planes of. the aerocraft; v

Fig. 4 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

'7 trating one device whereby the stabilizing- Fig. 5 is a view on enlarged scale illushorizontal steering weight and the vertical steering weight are controllable from the aviators station.

The aerocraft shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, is of the type known as a biplane, embodying an upper weight-carrying plane A and a lower weight-carrying plane B, the two planes beingof any usual or preferred'construction, and connected together by vertical frame members a. As shown, each weight-carrying plane is curved or arched in cross sectiomthe two planes are of suitable length and width, and they are retained by theframe members a in prede-' termined fixed positions relative to each other. The'craft is intended to be equipped with an engine or motor of a suitable type, and with two or more propellers arranged and operating as is usual in biplanes, but as the motor and the propelling mechanism may be usual in theart, and form no part of.

the present invention, it has not been con- 7 sidered necessary to illustrate or describe the same. 1 V

The aviators seat or station C is positioned on the frame work of the craft above the lower weight-carrying plane ,B and about the center of length of said plane. 7

D is a balancing plane or tail plane positioned at the rear of the weight-carrying planes, said tail plane occupying a substantially horizontal position intermediate the upper and lower weight-carrying planes and v 7 well to the rear thereof, This tail plans may beof' any form or construction known to those skilled in the art, but in contradistinction to the movable tail planes heretofore employed, the tail plane of my craft is secured in a fixed predetermined relation to the weightecarrying planes, it being understood that ,thetail plane is immovably supported in operative position. As shown,

" thetail plane is arched in cross section and it is connected by suitable braces b with the frame work of the weight-carrying planes.

Positioned below the lower weight-carrying plane B is a track memberE on which is supported a shiftable stabilizing and steering counterweight'F. The track member E'is shown in the form of a rod'or truss bar positioned well below plane B, and at the rear thereof, said track member being substantially parallel to. said plane B and extending in the direction of the length of said plane. Track member'E is retained in parallel position to the lower plane by vertical struts 6 depending from the rear part of the frame work, the ends 6' of said track member being inclined upwardly and secured to the end portions of the lower plane B, as shown in Fig.1.

The stabilizing and, steering weight is supported in any suitable wayupon the track member for movement in the dlIGClZlOIl of the length thereof, said weight being movable in a path substantially parallel to the bottom plane B, and the movement of p the weight being in the direction of the length of said plane. The i'weight'may bev mounted on or suspended from the track;

memberv as desired, "but it is 'preferred t'o provide said 1 weight with a. longitudinal passage fandwith'recesses ,the latter:

accommodating suitable rollers g which are mounted in the weight for rotation;

freely therein. 'The track member E passes loosely through the longitudinalpassagej and below rollers 9, whereby the rollersare The weight is adapted to be shifted in. a

direction lengthwise ofthe' lower plane by 7 any suitable operating and 'retainingmeans,

isprovided at its ends with bails 71K, to one of which is connected an operating cord't',

while a'similar operating. cord 2" is connected to the other? bail. cords i, 2" extend in opposite directions from the weight F, and they pass over suitable at the respective ends of the lower plane'B;

. but as shown in the drawings, said weight] f The operating i direction pulleys 'z' fl?" which are supported Said operating cords extend from the direc-, Q

tion pulleys inwardly toward a winding pulley G which is secured firmly to a main ually. operable shaft said shaft being; I

supported in suitable "bearings 7L2, 7L secured, on the frame workin such position. i that the hand wheel H, is convenient to the i1;

operator occupying the station C. One

winding pulley, whereas the other cord 71. is coiledin an opposite direction around'the winding pulley, and thus the rotation'fof spindle H and winding pulley G inone'dicord 2' is coiled in onedirection aroundrthe" rection places tension: upon one cord, as

and relaxes the other. cord 2" for shifting; the weight F in' one direction along the track member E, but the rotationlof the spindle and the winding pulley in anopposite direction places tension upon co'rdi'; and relaxes tenslon upon cord '5 for impart;

ing movement to, weight F in an opposite Y direction along trac'kmember E. In the normal position of the stabilizing 1-125 and steering weight, it is retained by the' operating cords in a position substantially;

at the middle of the craft and about midway betweentheends of track member B. 'Whenjf 1 i it is desired to steer the craft around to the-'- right, th spindle is rotatedso as to shi the weight toward the right, Said-Weight being of suflicientheaviness to, depress the craft at the end portion thereof toward which the weight is shifted, wheifiby the to move the weight in an opposite direction,

and thus the weight-carrying planes at the opposite end of the craft are lowered for the purpose of steering the craft toward the left. Should the craft heel over or turn from its normal position by the pressure of a sudden gust of wind, the effect is to impose the ponderosity of the weight upon the elevated end of the craft, and thus bring the craft back to a substantially normal position. It is thus apparent that the weight F tends'to automatically secure stability of the craft while in flight, and the movement of the weight in one direction or the other provides forthe control or steeri115), of the craft.

In addition to the foregoing mechanism for securing stability and the steering of the craft, another shiftable weight I is employed. This weight I is similar in construction to the weight F. shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and it is supported upon a track member J, shown in Fig. 2 as a rod extending between the weight-carrying planes and the tail plane. Said track member is secured at its rear to the forward portion of the tail plane, whereas the front part of the track member is secured to the frame work (1 intermediate the upper and lower weightcarrying planes A, B. The weight I is thus positioned for movement toward and from the weight-carrying planes and the tail plane, and saidweight is supported and moves at or about the center of gravity of the width of craft. The weight is movable upon track member J, and it is shifted and controlled by mechanism similar to the controlling devices for the stabilizing and steering weight. As shown, a cord 3' is attached to the forwardpart of weight I and extends over direction rollers j, 7' to a winding pulley K, the latter being secured to an end portion of a tubularshaft K. Said tubular shaft is fitted over the operating shaft H, and at one end of this tubular shaft is a hand wheel K the latter being positioned quite close to hand'wheel H and operating shaft H, see Fig. 5. To the rear of weight I is attached another operating cord is which extends around direction rollers l3 and 1' said operating cord is being 'coiled'on the winding pulley K in an opposite direction to that in which cord j is coiled on said pulley K. The tubular shaft may easily be rotated by the operator manipulating hand wheel K so that pulley K may be turned in one direction or the other for the purpose of Pla ing ension upouieith r ef the opera in or y, tis e id et'thattherotatien 1 o t e Wi d ng pulley 9. dire tien will exert ehsion upon the ca d 17, for the P1111905? of m ing eight- 1 oward the eight-carrying Planes away item the i tail pla e, hereby impesins the-roaster;

osity of weight I upon the forward partof the, craft, which is so balanced that there sultlis to elevate the tail plane at the rear part of the craft, in a manner to result in t a descent of said craft. winding pulley K in an opposite direction,

By turning the I however, cord 7' is slackened andtension is placed upon cord is, as a result of which the weight is moved rearwardly, away from planes A, B, and toward plane D, thus depressing the tail plane at the rear partof the craft, in consequence of which the craft will be caused to ascend.

It is evident that hand-wheels H, K may be operated independently by the aviator for the purpose of rotating the winding pulleys G, K separately, and operating the several cords in a manner to control the position of the horizontal steering weight F and the vertical steering weight I. Should Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An aerocraft embodying a plurality of weight-carrying planes, a balancing plane in the rear of said weight-carrying planes, said balancing plane occupying an immovable position with reference to said weight I carryingv planes, a lateral stabilizing and steering weight supported below the lower of said. weight-carrying planes, means for controlling and adjusting the position of said weight with relation to said weightw carrying planes, astabilizing vertical steer ing weight supported for movement be tween the weight-carrying planes and the balancing plane, and controlling means for shifting and retaining in position said vertical steering weight. V j

2. An aerocraft having independent slidable weights for steering the same in horizontal and vertical directions, in combinaftion with two operating spindles one of which is tubular and incases the other, hand nections between the spindles and said movable weights.

wheels on said spindles, and operative con- 3. An aerocrafthaving movable weights for steering the same in horizontal and vertical directions, in combination with two operating spindles one of which is'tubular and incases the other, hand wheels on said spindles, and operative connections between the spindles and said movable weights.

4. An aerocraft hayingrmovable weights Q In testimony whereof I havesigned m j 7 V i for steering'the same in horizontal and vernameto this specification in the presence of tical directions, in combination with two two subscribing Witnesses.

operating spindlesone of which is tubular "FREDERICK J. VEITCH. r f and incases the other, .hand Wheels on said' Witnesses: V 5 v spindles, and running cords operated by the H. F. BERNHARD, 1

spindles and connected to said weights. M.- C. RODRIGUEZ.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents'eaph, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, A

Washington, D. G. v 1 

